This invention relates to a process and an apparatus for the production of an article of ice confectionery containing flakes of crispy composition within its mass.
In the field of articles of ice confectionery in the form of individual portions, such as stick ices, ice lollies, cones, rolls, tubs and the like, there are articles containing flakes of chocolate distributed within the ice cream mass.
With a view to producing new textures, consumers have been offered articles of ice confectionery which contain thin layers of crispy material to provide them with a flaky texture.
Thus, according to EP 322 469, such articles as flaky stick ices or cones are produced by successive formation of layers of ice cream and thin layers of chocolate by partial freezing of the ice cream at its periphery, removal of the central, still liquid part under suction, spraying of chocolate into the cavity thus formed and filling of the central part with ice cream. Because of production constraints, the articles obtained contain only a relatively small number of thin, crispy, longitudinal layers continuous in revolution.
According to EP 221 757, ice cream cones or stick ices containing thin chocolate chips are produced by forming longidutinal grooves in an extruded strand of ice cream by means of deflectors and filling the grooves thus formed with chocolate, the veins of chocolate, which solidify on contact with the ice cream, breaking randomly into chips when the strand is folded double to fill the mould. The texture obtained is not the same as that which would be obtained if the thin layers of chocolate were to form substantially continuous flakes. It has in effect been found that it was a really pleasant sensation to chew through thin, contrasting and clearly discernible layers of soft material and crispy material.